Midvale Middle School’s Mock trial team traditionally strong

Midvale Middle School’s team, seen here, traditionally has been a top competitor in mock trial. (Christiana Forbush)

By Julie Slama |
Julie@mycityjournals.com

Team A or Team Z usually
contends in the finals of the junior division of mock trial. This means, one of these teams
are one of the top 40 teams across the state.

Those teams are represented
by Midvale Middle School’s seventh- and eighth-graders in competition cases
involving a criminal or civil case. Although sixth-graders can’t
compete, two sixth-graders make up the 24 members who are on the teams so they
can gain exposure to mock trial.

Coached by social studies and
history teacher Christiana Forbush, the mock trial students spend the year
preparing and learning about the competition. After applying and interviewing
to make the teams, they begin learning about burden of proof, understanding
courtroom procedures and polishing presentation skills.

By November, they’re learning
the roles of those involved in trial cases and begin practice rounds so they
can learn argumentative skills.

By January, students usually
are preparing for competition in their homeroom classes as well as two hours
after school twice each week or more, she said.

It’s also when students learn
the topic for the trial—this
year, it was a criminal case accusing a landowner of starting a fire that
spread, burning 60,000 acres in a national park. And they
audition for roles as lawyers, witnesses and bailiff.

“We pick the teams at that
time and see what best balances each team,” Forbush said. “We also decide who will be better lawyers
versus better witnesses.”

The students then prepare for
the trials, which will be conducted by three judges, typically working judges
themselves or lawyers, paralegals, law students or others involved in the legal
system.

“Students learn a lot about
courtroom procedures and decorum as well as teamwork and how to handle
pressure. A few of the students want to enter the law field. For most, it’s more appealing as they like to
debate and act, so through mock trial, they’re able to do both,” she said.

Forbush said mock trial
students gain skills such as presentation, teamwork and self-confidence. They also learn critical study skills.

“These students can pull
apart a text and be able to understand it better than anyone at the school,”
she said.

In February and March, the
teams compete. Midvale Middle usually
goes all the way to the finals. This
year, the teams fell short.

“It’s the first time in 10
years we haven’t made the final four,” she said. “I think our students are high achievers in
school and involved in other activities like play rehearsals, math
competitions, history fair and science fair, so we got stretched too thin down
the stretch.”

Forbush, who began coaching
mock trial 12 years ago at Provo High, said that there may be alterations in
the way Midvale Middle’s mock trial is run next year with possible schedule
changes.

Regardless, she knows she can
count on returning members to be leaders for newcomers.

“The team takes ownership so
they don’t rely on me. They’re a pretty
tight team; they work hard and have a lot of fun together,” she said.